


Protect You From the Storm

by SoonerOrLater



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28362957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoonerOrLater/pseuds/SoonerOrLater
Summary: Patrick hates storms. David never thought anyone would need him to protect them from a storm.
Relationships: David Rose/Patrick Brewer
Comments: 8
Kudos: 114





	Protect You From the Storm

Patrick hated storms. It was one of those irrational, but also totally rational fears that had taken root long ago and held on. His Mom liked to tell the story of her flying home through a thunderstorm while pregnant with him, convinced this was the origin of what was otherwise a largely irrational fear. And there was a storm coming. He partly hated them because they all too often triggered migraines. This time he seemed to have averted that with several doses of painkillers and one of migraine medication. None of which was doing anything for his mood, his head still feeling full and a peripheral ache. But he’d also managed to work himself up into a state of dread about the storm. 

And David was here. David had never been around while there was a storm. He’d never seen Patrick jump like a frightened cat at lightning. He’d never seen his usually calm collected boyfriend rattled by a stupid thing like the weather. And he knew he was on edge. He’d snapped at David several times already that evening. And now he was sulking at the other end of the sofa, engrossed in his phone. Mad enough to ignore him for a bit, not mad enough to actually leave. Maybe that’s what Patrick had subconsciously been trying to make him do he realised. Too late now, he heard the faint rumble of thunder in the distance. 

‘Huh, Storm then.’ David muttered, just as Patrick turned up the tv to try and drown out the storm a little. ‘Oh very mature.’ David rolled his eyes ‘Turn the TV up over me.’

‘What David no I-’ just as he got to the end of the sentence a large thunderclap broke through and he jumped. 

David smirked. ‘Karma.’ he said as his boyfriend jumped at the thunderclap. He’d been in a pissy mood all day, snapping at him in the Store. He’d had some sympathy when Patrick had mentioned a headache, but he’d continued to be moody and short-tempered. When he’d snapped about David’s choice of TV viewing, even though it was clearly his turn to pick. David had chosen the moral low road of sulking instead. He wasn’t proud, but sometimes, needs must. He was willing to concede the battle in favour of the late evening plans he’d envisioned earlier- more a way of shutting his moody boyfriend up or possibly the opposite if all went to plan. Him jumping a mile at the thunderclap was somewhat satisfying though. David smirked as he hauled himself up to go to the bathroom. ‘You’ll be alright without me? Or will the big bad storm get you?’ Patrick didn’t even grace him with a glare, he was staring straight ahead at the TV. David rolled his eyes. Fine, be like that. He’d sort things out when he got back- even if it meant invoking the more physical approach he had planned sooner than expected. 

When he emerged from the bathroom he wandered over to the fridge. A glance over at Patrick showed he hadn’t moved, except to draw his knees up to his chest. He was staring at the TV still, despite his protests about not wanting to watch the Fashion documentary David had chosen. Another thunderclap sounded, closer now and Patrick jumped again. David snorted. 

‘Really love, you’d be no good in a war would you.’ he stuck his head in the fridge. ‘Drink?’ he called. No response. ‘Ugh fine ignore me then.’ he muttered getting a bottle of wine out anyway, assuming Patrick would drink whatever he gave him. He wandered back over ‘Look I know we like to bicker and I’m not usually willing to back down when I’m in the right, but let’s have some wine and-’ he put a hand on Patrick’s shoulder just as another thunderclap hit and Patrick jumped a mile and also threw an arm out instinctively and swung for where David was. David blinked, he was about to unleash a torrent of-he wasn’t sure what for that when he looked over again at his boyfriend and saw him properly for the first time since he’d got up. 

He was scared. Really scared. 

He was pale- paler than usual, and his eyes were currently wide as he looked over at David and managed a ‘S-sorry David, you scared me.’ as he moved his hand back to his knees David realised he was shaking. 

‘I can see.’ David frowned, his tone softer now. ‘Was it-I did I-what-’ he didn’t have to wait for the answer as another thunderclap sounded and Patrick closed his eyes this time dipping his head to his knees. It fell into place suddenly. ‘The storm?’ he asked, making his way around the sofa. Patrick nodded into his knees, not looking up. 

He was embarrassed. He knew David was going to mock him for it, but it was too late. And try as he might he couldn’t not jump at every thunderclap. He wanted to hide under the duvet like a child. But instead, he was about to be ridiculed by his boyfriend, and deservedly he was a grown man scared of weather. So scared he was on the verge of hyperventilating about it. He screwed his eyes a bit tighter and willed David to start mocking him and get it over with. 

Suddenly he felt the weight of something over him. He could smell David’s familiar scent close again, then sensed him in front of him. He opened his eyes and looked up. David was pulling the blanket from the back of the sofa around him, currently like a cape. It was over his shoulders, and just as he looked up, David pulled it up to the top of his head, not covering his face but resting there. He pulled it around at the front and held out the two sides. 

‘Grab it.’ David instructed. ‘You can make a little cocoon.’ he waited crouched down in front of Patrick now, who had the blue blanket enveloping him, just his currently confused face visible. He obeyed and took the blanket, just as the thunder came again and he jumped, flopping his head down as if defeated. It felt good. Safe. It was the reason he hid under the covers when storms came at night. That totally irrational, but comforting notion that if you were under the duvet it wouldn’t get you. The weight of the blanket helped. 

Patrick reminded himself to breathe. And suddenly the weight of David was on him. An arm wrapped around him, head on his shoulder. 

‘We got this.’ David mumbled into the blanket. He heard the rain outside for the first time and hoped for a bit that meant a reprieve from the thunder. But he was wrong as another clap broke out. Patrick jumped and he felt him shaking. It pulled at his chest, seeing his boyfriend obviously, physically scared of this. ‘Nope not working.’ he said. ‘Come on.’ he hauled Patrick upright and all but dragged him to the bedroom. 

There seemed to be a merciful lull while David was dragging him to the bed. He found himself breathing a bit easier, whether it was the distraction or the lull in the noise. But David gently pushed him to seated on the bed, then gentler than Patrick would have given him credit for, lifted his legs up and pulled the covers over him. He hopped over to the other side of the bed before snuggling himself inside the covers and pulling them right over their heads, pulling Patrick down to lie on top of him, wrapping himself- arms and legs and it felt like all of him, over Patrick. They settled just as another rumble of thunder cracked. This one was so close it felt like it was right outside, and he gave a little inadvertent squeak of fear. And immediately felt David’s arms tighten, and his forehead resting down on the side of his head. 

‘We still got this.’ David muttered into Patrick’s hair, giving him a squeeze. He was clearly both spooked by the storm and doing everything he could to fight being spooked by it. He understood that, especially from his usually so calm in the face of everything boyfriend. But he also knew the importance of leaning into the fear sometimes. ‘It’s ok to be scared.’ he said ‘It doesn’t matter, I mean it does matter, if it’s scary it’s scary and it’s ok to be scared by that and, something I don’t know.’ he felt Patrick exhale and breathe a bit at that point. He paused and felt him tense again ‘Does it help?’ he asked ‘Talking?’ Patrick inhaled and nodded. ‘Well ok then, you asked for it, get ready for a long lecture on the history of Balenciaga as you wouldn’t let me watch the show in peace-’ another thunderclap and he felt Patrick jump in his arms ‘So, let’s start at the beginning.’ 

Patrick didn’t hear a word of what David said, but he kept up his monologue for a full 30 minutes. Detailing he assumed, the history and designs and probably gossip of the fashion house. Whatever he said worked because as long as he was talking, Patrick managed to stay relatively calm. He still jumped every time the thunder boomed through, but he didn’t slip into a panic attack, he didn’t end up running for the bathroom to hide. He listened to David’s voice and he managed not to run away and hide. Eventually the sound of rain grew louder and louder. But the rumbling of thunder had stopped. So did David’s voice. 

‘I think it’s gone.’ he said, his voice a little hoarse from the non-stop talking. He paused for a second. It was just raining now. He felt Patrick relax a bit in his arms, and he reached up and moved the duvet off their heads so they could breathe a bit. They shifted apart just a little. Patrick closed his eyes for a moment and David let him collect himself. 

‘You ok?’ he asked after a moment. Patrick nodded and didn’t open his eyes. ‘You want to look at me so I can check?’ David asked, moving his hand up to Patrick’s face. He moved his thumb slowly across his cheek for a second, before moving his hand to his shoulder. Patrick flicked open his eyes and gave him a little smile. 

David was smiling back at him, in the half-light of the bedroom. He looked like his normal self, just frowning slightly in concern. 

‘Thank you.’ Patrick said. 

‘For what?’ David shrugged. 

‘For not making fun of me…’

‘Why would I do that?’ his eyebrows practically met in the middle. 

‘I’m scared of ... the weather.’ Patrick rolled his eyes. ‘I’m a grown man scared of a thunderstorm.’ 

David’s face softened and he leaned over and kissed him. ‘How many moths have I made you catch for me?’ he asked with a smile. ‘How many of those times did I make you drive to the Motel to do it?’

‘Only the times Stevie wasn’t there.’ Patrick smiled. Relieved. David wasn’t mocking him or walking out. Or any of the things his brain had told him it should. ‘But there’s no reason for it, it’s stupid that I get-’

‘Patrick.’ it came out a bit harsh and he bit his lip ‘Do you think a moth has ever you know attacked me?’ His boyfriend smiled, ‘I know it’s stupid. But that fear, it’s real. And you know that, and you come and rescue me from the moth every damn time.’

‘And the butterflies.’ Patrick added, reaching for David’s hip and pulling himself a bit closer. 

‘And the butterflies.’ David added. ‘So I will be there for every storm.’

That did it for Patrick. His face crumpled a bit and he leaned over and kissed his boyfriend, feeling the tears forming on his cheeks. ‘I love you.’ he said. David kissed him back. Then pulled him a bit closer, while they listened to the rain together. 

10 Years later. 

David was rushing up the path to the house. Not just because it was now hammering down with rain. But because the thunderclaps had been following him all the way home. He burst in the door pulling off his boots. 

‘Patrick?!’ he shouted. ‘Sweetheart where are you, you’re gonna have to answer me!’ 

Nothing. The bedroom was logical. He ran upstairs. Nothing. He knew his husband was home, he’d sent a text an hour earlier about dinner. 

Dinner. He’d been in the kitchen. 

David ran back downstairs and to the back of the house. And to the pantry. Sure enough, Patrick was sitting in the corner. Knees up to his chest, head down. He didn’t look up, but David could see his leg shaking. 

‘Two seconds.’ David said, running to the living room now. He ran back, blanket in hand and with a flourish swept it over his husband and himself as he pulled himself to the floor. ‘Hey there husband.’ he muttered arranging the blanket as another thunderclap sounded. God, it was loud, even for the time of year and the increasingly frequent storms that he cursed. This sounded like it was coming in through the roof. As did the rain. Still, he wasn’t going to let it win. He pulled the blanket around them tighter. ‘Hand please.’ he said. Patrick obeyed. David took it in his. He squeezed and Patrick looked at him. It was a shorthand they’d developed for how ok either of them was. Originally borne out of David’s anxiety attacks, it worked just as well here. If you could get both a hand and a look everything was currently if not ok, then not too bad. Any variation of that, you could work up to that. Patrick jumped as another thunderclap sounded. And when another came directly after David heard a familiar squeak of fear and quickly looped an arm around him and squeezed his hand. ‘I’m here.’ he said. ‘We got this remember.’ In the dark of their little blanket cave, he felt Patrick nod. 

‘So what shall we do today?’ David mused ‘It’s been a while since I’ve been allowed to rank Sandra Bullock’s film catalogue in order of preference, so why don’t we start there…’ Patrick squeezed his hand and David smiled, just as another thunderclap sounded and Patrick buried himself a bit deeper into him ‘Ok better get going. Firstly the classic that is The Lake House, underrated if you ask me...which of course you did. Here’s why…’ and he was off, he knew really that it didn’t matter what he talked about, it was the sound of his voice and drowning out or at least distraction from, the sounds around them that worked. But for a good thirty minutes, he had plenty of Sandra Bullock thoughts to share. Not least his full ten minutes on the wonders of Practical Magic as the one true Halloween film. Given Halloween was in two weeks he was laying some groundwork there. Eventually, he ran out of films, but the thunder had faded, even if the rain had intensified. He leaned over and kissed Patrick’s head. ‘We ok over there?’ Patrick nodded, and he felt his arms come around his stomach and his husband lean down into his lap. He was still shaking a bit. ‘Hey, it’s ok.’ David said running his hands through his hair, which he’d grown out a bit and was soft and messy right now. ‘You’re ok.’ he felt his husband sigh and he carried on working his way through his hair over and over while he stilled. Then he held on a bit longer. 

Patrick let himself be held by his husband a while, working his hand into his sweater and enjoying the sensation of his hand in his hair. He had no idea why it was worse today. Or why at almost forty-two years old he was hiding in the pantry scared of a storm. So he sighed into his husband’s sweater and let him hold him a moment more. Eventually, he sat up, pulling the blanket off them both. 

David grinned at him, and reached out and smoothed his hair. Patrick smiled. ‘You’re one to talk.’ he said reaching over and smoothing David’s expertly coiffed hair back into place. ‘Thank you.’ he said quietly ‘I don’t know why it was so bad...why I was…’ he shrugged and David reached up a hand to his cheek. 

‘You’re tired maybe.’ he shrugged ‘or it was louder. Or the moon is full. Doesn’t matter.’

‘It’s stupid. So stupid.’ Patrick said ‘I shouldn’t be…’ he shrugged, ‘I shouldn’t need my husband to rescue me from thunderstorms.’ he rolled his eyes. 

‘Now you listen to me.’ David said sitting up ‘Sorry.’ he added ‘That came out way harsher than it should.’

Patrick laughed at David’s now-familiar apology. And snuggled himself back under his arm. 

‘You listen to me Parick Brewer-Rose.’ David said into his hair ‘I will protect you from every storm.’ 

Patrick wrapped his arms a bit tighter around David’s middle, burrowing his head in as David arranged the blanket over them. 

‘As long as you still catch all the moths.’ David added, and Patrick laughed. 

‘Deal.’ he said, then more into David’s sweater than out loud ‘Love you.’

David kissed his husband’s now truly messy hair, ‘Love you too.’ he said softly, pulling him close. He never thought he’d be the person someone needed to protect them from storms. But it was a role he’d take seriously for the rest of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> We've been having a bunch of storms here. This wandered into my head. I like the idea of stoic Patrick being ruffled by something irrational feeling and needing David to tell him its ok.


End file.
